| Issues
Whilst acknowledging the above successes, it is important
to identify and attempt to address any issues that may have
affected aspects of the project in an adverse way. Through
ongoing discussion and consultation, feedback was gathered
throughout the project from all stakeholders involved.
Issues
in Early Childhood practice
Consultants involved in the project, some principals and teachers
themselves have identified that much needs improving in terms
of early childhood practice. Specific areas targeted by the
project continue to prove difficult and problematic.
One
of these areas is assessment. Debate over the following assessment
issues continues:
- cultural appropriateness of measurement tools;
- developmental appropriateness of measurement tools;
- apparent lack of progress on designated measurement tools;
- type of data seen as important in order to assess SAE
progress;
- expertise to implement measurement tools;
- the initial identification of eligible students is open
to teacher interpretation and bias.
Another
key area of early childhood practice that raised concerns
is developmentally appropriate practice. Serious challenges
in this area remain, although much positive progress was made.
Solutions to providing the most appropriate learning environment
for young children, particularly young Aboriginal children,
are not easy to find. The following are issues raised:
- That the strategies and 'special' activities devised for
the Kimberley Literacy Project should be happening anyway
in our early childhood classrooms. Comments indicated that
some people believed that the project was unable to focus
on providing additional support as attention was needed
in 'just providing the basics'. This should not be interpreted
as teacher incompetence, as many of the teachers are doing
their best to cope with the difficulties faced in teaching
in the Kimberley.
- It can be difficult to document and use the students'
'home knowledge'. For example, there is the danger of generalisations
being made. In some situations the ATA does not have local
knowledge or is not available to make these observations
and, once collected, there are many different ways this
information can be interpreted and used.
- The quality, appropriateness and access to relevant resources
is an issue that varies significantly across schools. Many
teachers in the early childhood area believe they are under-resourced
and that there is a general lack of culturally appropriate
resources available to their students.
- The 'ideas book' collated after the 1998 and 1999 Kimberley
Literacy Project and presented in draft form to all staff
involved in the 2000 project, has not reached a form that
makes it useful for the teaching staff.
- A general concern by some teachers and the consultant
staff is the use of the project as an impetus to promote
inappropriate practice. This comes about due to the project's
focus on the acquisition of SAE and the translation of this
by some staff into formal written tasks.
Issues
with staff
Various issues arose in relation to classroom teacher, seconded
teachers, ATAs, principals and other school staff:
- The sharing of a seconded teacher between two schools
proved problematic due to lack of planning time and inconsistent
time spent with students.
- The lack of knowledge and experience of current ECE theory
and practice of some classroom teachers, ATAs and principals
is an issue that impacts on making informed decisions about
resources, learning programs and many other relevant issues.
- The qualifications, expertise and experience of the seconded
teachers employed was, in some cases, not of the standard
needed to address the complex issues faced by the project.
The project needed experienced and qualified early childhood
educators with some ESL and Aboriginal education experience.
Unfortunately it was difficult to recruit such staff in
sufficient numbers for the task.
- Absenteeism, continual change of, or no ATA involvement
in the project were problems faced in some schools.
- Many schools have ESL or Literacy Support staff and intervention
programs are operating to some extent already.
- The qualifications and expertise of the support staff
is not equal to the challenge despite the best of intentions.
- Problems faced by the seconded teachers include the time
it takes to adapt to their new situation. This includes
coping with the difficulties involved in working in a cross
cultural situation, adjusting to the Kimberley environment
and climate, and learning 'the ropes' of a new school and
classroom structure. These realities impact on the effectiveness
of the seconded teacher.
- Access to quality services such as appropriate accommodation,
transport and telephone access were problems faced by some
of the seconded teachers.
- Communication was an issue at some schools. For example,
between the principal and teachers or between seconded teacher
and class teacher or the ATA.
Issues
with the one-term model
The model on which the Kimberley Literacy Project operated
in most schools sees a seconded teacher enter the pre?primary
classroom for a one term intensive program with the eligible
students. This, in itself, has raised some problems and issues.
While
all teachers report an improvement of some kind in the students'
use of SAE, in many cases this is minimal (particularly when
measured by the designated assessment tools) and not necessarily
ongoing or even maintained once the third term intensive program
is over.
The age of the target group has been questioned. As pre-primary
is not compulsory and should not involve formal instruction,
can these children receive optimum benefit from such an intensive
program? At this age, students are often shy and reluctant
to communicate with a new person (ie the seconded teacher)
and therefore their true abilities may not be reflected.
Another
aspect of the short time span meant that many staff felt the
focus of the project was too broad and that the expectations
were unrealistic. There was a professional development overload
as the project attempted to address too much.
Issues
with attendance
Attendance has long been identified as an issue in success
at school and there has been and continues to be many varied
ways of addressing the problem. Unfortunately there is no
easy answer to the problem of absenteeism and it has definitely
affected the outcomes of the Kimberley Literacy Project.
Many of the eligible students had erratic attendance, long
absences or did not attend at all. It is acknowledged that
there are many, complex reasons for this. Cultural factors
such as funerals and special ceremonies are examples of some
these. |
The opportunity to 'research'
and engage in a structured outcomes planning cycle has reaffirmed
my belief that students learn in many different ways, that
`play' is a powerful medium for learning and that students
are great teachers to each other. The cultural and language
differences are important to the community and two-way learning
has special significance for these children. I have further
witnessed that the child's first involvement with school environment
is enhanced by planning oral language programs based on the
child's home knowledge.
